


Desperately Reaching for Something in the Dark

by quartermile



Category: All Time Low
Genre: Fearless Warrior!Jack, Jalex - Freeform, M/M, Scared of the dark!Alex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-03
Updated: 2014-09-03
Packaged: 2018-02-16 01:14:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2250378
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quartermile/pseuds/quartermile
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack never thought of his boyfriend as having any fears. He's always the first one to speak up in a crowd, and he'll try anything once really. But one night at the local park, he finds out -by way of a faulty street lamp- that maybe Alex isn't quite so fearless after all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Desperately Reaching for Something in the Dark

If Jack really thinks about it, he doesn't suppose he's ever been around Alex when it was darkness. Sure, they hang out plenty during the night, but there's always some form of light source. A tv, hallway light, the room's light itself, or even a streetlamp like now, the two of them assing around in the park after dinner like usual.

Summer had just begun and the two soon-to-be seniors love nothing more than meeting up after dinner and hanging out, just enjoying their time together; playing around as best friends and flirting as boyfriends. A perfect medium.

One minute, the two are laughing at one of Jack's many dick jokes, the next, they are plunged into darkness.

It's silent for a moment before Alex asks, "What just happened?"

"I guess the streetlamp went out," Jack says. The lights on this street are notorius for blacking out at times, but he's never had to deal with it.

He doesn't hear anything for a moment and he wonders if Alex is trying to sneak behind him to scared him. But he finally hears a soft voice pierce through the darkness, "J-Jack?"

"Alex?" He answers, trying to move toward his voice. He finally hears it then: heavy, shaky breaths that are too fast to really be healthy, he thinks, "Alex, are you okay? Come here."

"I c-can't," he whispers back, "I'm scared."

Jack can feel the shame behind his boyfriend's admission but he isn't even concerned at all with the fact his boyfriend has a fear commonly left behind in childhood. All he's worried about is getting to him, which is difficult in the darkness. He supposes it's a good think Alex is apparently rooted to his original spot, makes him easier to find.

His fingertips finally touch the thin fabric of Alex's Green Day hoodie, and he announces himself immediately when he feels him flinch, "It's me, baby."

Two arms curl around his waist, holding him in a grip that is almost too tight, but he'd never dream of asking him to loosen his hold. He wraps his arms around his shoulders, resting his cheek against Alex's and frowning in the darkness when he feels the tears on his boyfriend's cheeks, "Baby-"

"I'm scared of the dark," Alex interrupts.

"I've sort of gathered that," Jack chuckles, pressing a kiss to his temple to show him he doesn't mean it in any form of teasing way, "Let's get out of here then."

"Don't let go of me," Alex pleads, fingers clenching into the hem of Jack's shirt.

"Not a chance, baby, but you have to walk," he urges, having been met with resistance when he'd tried to walk.

"Okay," Alex whispers back but doesn't move his feet for a moment. Jack tugs his hand again and he finally takes a step forward, their arms around each other as they walk in what Jack hopes is the direction of the entrance gate. The park itself hadn't been used by young children in years, due to the fact it is completely encircled in a row of trees, and the newer park nearby is more open. Because of the trees, the light from the other lamps on the street can't reach them, so they're completely cast in shadow.

It doesn't take long before Jack finds himself nose to metal with a loud clang that earns another gasp from his boyfriend. He swears, reaching up to rub his likely bruised face before finally remembering the cellphone in his pocket. He slips it out, unlocking it to light it up.

The small screen's light does little to illuminate the playground, but the short distance glow does make Alex's grip relax infinitesimally, so it's worth it he thinks. It also does reveal that the cold metal that had tried to steal a kiss from him is in fact, the side of the set of monkey bars.

That means they're going the wrong way. Jack turns, squinting his eyes and scanning the blanket of darkness, finally spotting the very dim, barely there glow of the street. He nudges Alex, pulling him to face the same direction, "This way baby."

He feels him nod and he squeezes his hand gently, "You're okay baby. I've got you."

"Don't let go," Alex commands, his voice still shaking. Jack really wishes he could see his face to make sure he's okay. His voice sounds awfully strained, and his breathing is still a little too fast.

"I won't," he answers, steering them toward the barely there rectangle of light. He holds his phone low to the ground to watch for anything that could trip them up because he didn't almost trip over the see-saw, he didn't.

"I love you," Alex tells him in the darkness and Jack can't help but smile, "I love you, too."

Foot jammed in a hole, Jack almost takes Alex down with him, but he manages to catch himself. Though he wonders why he's the one running into things. Oh well, he wouldn't want his boyfriend hurt. Better him than Alex, he supposes.

Alex lets out a loud screech as something dark darts across the faint glow of the entrance, and Jack finds himself holding a shaking Alex Gaskarth. His eyes widen as well seeing the dark figure, and he prays it's only a stray dog exploring the area.

He tries to step forward but almost falls again, stumbling as Alex's legs wrapped around his own keeps him from being able to take a proper step forward.

"Lex, baby, it's just a dog," he soothes, running his fingers through the blonde strands on his boyfriend's neck.

"How do you know?!" Alex wails, his face presses hard against Jack's chest, "I hate this park! I hate this park! I told you guys we shouldn't come here! It's cursed! We're gonna never be seen again!"

"Alexander William!" Jack has to scold, interrupting his rant before he gets too much more worked up, "It was a dog, baby. I saw it's tail. If it was going to hurt us, it would have already. Now, I can't walk with your legs wrapped around me. We're getting close, okay baby?"

"O-Okay," comes the shaky whisper. Jack can feel a pang in his chest at the reply. Alex, to him, has always seemed pretty fearless, so for him to show fear at this magnitude, Jack knows it must be intense. It takes a moment, but Alex's limbs loosen and he slides down to his feet on the ground, his arms staying around Jack's waist.

Jack keeps a close eye out for the animal they had seen. He's grateful that Alex's face is now pressed against his shoulder as they walk because he spots the creature again. Dog or not, it is pretty creepy to be slinking around there.

"Baby," he whispers, tapping on Alex's wrist as they're finally bathed in the glow of a streetlamp outside of the entrance, "Open them pretty little peepers.

Alex lifts his head, his body visibly relaxing as he sees where they are, his arms hugging Jack tightly to him, "I love you."

"I love you too, Lex," Jack replies, relieved to be out of the park as well. He's not even scared of the dark, but he doesn't particularly like being in places that he's not exactly used to in the dark. Increase that uneasy feeling tenfold and he figures that's probably how Alex was feeling, "Are you okay, beautiful?"

Alex hesitates for a moment, seeming to consider the question before nodding, a slightly embarrassed smile on his face.

"Good," Jack replies, placing his hands on either side of his face and giving him a soft kiss on his previously quivering lips, "There's no need to be embarrassed. If anything, that made you cuter."

"You won't tell Rian and Zack about this, right? They'll probably lock me in a basement or something to fuck with me," Alex says worriedly, face blanching at the thought.

Although Jack is pretty sure that neither Rian nor Zack would ever dream of doing any such thing to Alex, actually, he's pretty sure they would go to great lengths to make sure wherever they are is always well-lit, he nods, "Of course I'd never tell anything you didn't want me to tell, Lex."

"Thank you, Jacky," Alex whispers, stretching his neck to close the short distance between the two of them, pressing a soft kiss to Jack's lips. Jack nods, smiling widely and wiping the remnants of the tears from under Alex's eyes, "Thank you for not letting anything get me."

"I'll always protect you." Jack replies, sliding his hand down down a soft arm to take his boyfriend's arm.

"You're like my hero," Alex giggles.


End file.
